What $1.7M buys in rural Minnesota: A school, band equipment and a Zamboni
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Indus School in Baudette closed its doors nearly three years ago. The South Koochiching-Rainy River School District cited declining enrollment and budget shortfalls at the school, which covered pre-K through 12th grade. At the time, many residents rallied against the decision, calling it draconian.
Now it’s up for sale for $1.7 million, a price that includes all “learning materials” in the building. According to the listing, that means, “microscopes, pottery wheels, band equipment and everything needed for metalworking and building trades.”
Indus’ campus is listed with Move It Real Estate Group, headquartered in Grand Rapids.
Barry Woods is the agent in charge of the sale. He said the property has been on the market for about a week, and since then, he’s received numerous calls from around the country, including some dog mushers.
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“There's thousands of miles of trails and logging roads, it's really an outdoors enthusiast’s paradise,” said Woods, who is also a part-time fishing guide. “Across the river, there's a sturgeon hatchery run by the First Nations from Rainy River in Ontario. It's a fantastic area.”
Woods said this is the first school he’s ever sold and that it could be the perfect spot for a manufacturing facility.
“Maybe we'll lure DigiKey over here from Thief River Falls,” he said.
The campus also includes the former school’s 28,000-square-foot hockey arena, complete with a Zamboni. Woods said the arena could also be repurposed and used for hosting equestrian events.
About six months ago, the Indus School property had been purchased by its current, private owner, whom Woods said is an entrepreneur. After the purchase, an open house was held for the community, where the buyer shared potential plans for the northern Minnesota campus.
According to Cathy Nelson of the Facebook group SOS INDUS, which was created in opposition of the school’s closure but still remains active, some of the ideas then included transforming it into a “drug and alcohol treatment center, daycare, assisted living, or summer camp for sports,” to name a few.
At the time of its closure, Indus School had 92 students enrolled there. They have since graduated or were re-enrolled in their resident school district or a different one. In 2024, the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld the school board's decision to shutter the school.
Indus was the only school in the area. Its shutdown has forced some students to bus hours a day roundtrip to the school they now attend.
